7 of the world's steepest streets

A slippery slope

Do you have reoccurring
anxiety dreams that involve abrupt stalling, rolling backwards or brake
failure?

Have you ever had a panic
attack driving in downtown Seattle?

Well then, the seven roads
that we're about to describe — among the steepest in the world — are perhaps the
roads best not taken.

For everyone else — we're
talking to you, confident motorists and undaunted cyclists — super-steep
streets can be quite thrilling. (Take for example this photo from Baldwin Street, which will talk about more in the next slide.) Many of them are throwbacks to an era when
urban planning was more loosey-goosey and grade limits didn't exist, no matter
how formidable the terrain. Some are bona fide tourist destinations, others a
bit more out of the way. Most, but not all, are residential and fully open to
public traffic. And, most importantly, some boast stomach-sinking maximum
grades of over 30 percent.

So, buckle your seat belts — or lace up your best walking shoes — we're in for a vertiginous ride.